Let’s Go Washington Founder Brian Heywood issues statement after Olympia legislators decide to revive HB 1296
This week, Let’s Go Washington (LGW) introduced a complementary initiative to protect parents’ rights by repealing HB 1296. Earlier this month, LGW introduced an initiative to repeal SB 5181 – in retaliation, Olympia legislators decided to revive the much more harmful HB-1296 in the dead of night.
Let’s Go Washington Founder Brian Heywood, issued the following statement:
“If legislators think they can stop our efforts by putting all their bad ideas into another bill, they’ve got another thing coming. We aren’t going to sit silently while they strip the rights of parents and tell government employees that it’s okay to keep secrets from a child’s primary advocate. The rhetoric from legislators is enough to tell voters that they don’t care about the interests of parents. Senator Pedersen said parents don’t have rights; Representative Stonier wildly claimed that SB-5181 will keep students safe while ignoring the need for parents to be involved; Representative Ortiz-Self has similarly played with words about what was actually done with I-2081 and has said she’s ‘tired’ of this conversation.
We will approach this fight and every other attack on parents’ rights with our full force and the hundreds of thousands of allies across the state who agree that parents are the primary stakeholder in their children’s education.”
For context: Jamie Pedersen, Representative Monica Stonier, and Representative Lillian Ortiz-Self, all voted to pass I-2081 to protect parents’ rights in 2024. Additionally, Judge Michael Scott, upheld the constitutionality of the initiative in the King County court. The legislature passed I-2081 with sweeping bipartisan support after the initiative made history as the fifth most signed in state history. While thousands of Washingtonians saw this as a necessary protection to affirm that parents, not administrators or bureaucrats, have the final say on how to raise their children, many state officials and Democrat legislators made it clear that they would not comply with the new law.
Let’s Go Washington will continue to fight for the rights of parents even as the state actively works against what is best for parents and children.
Visit letsgowashington.com for more information.
Also read:
- Letter: The Great Reversal – Cortes cuts local taxes, then loads schools and hospitals with unfunded state mandates
Shauna Walters argues that Sen. Adrian Cortes has reversed his local anti-tax record by supporting state mandates and new taxes in Olympia. - As pennies disappear, Washington must address how retailers make change
Washington lawmakers are considering legislation that would require cash purchases to be rounded to the nearest nickel as pennies are phased out. - Lawmakers from 17th District to host virtual town hall on Wednesday (Feb. 18)
Lawmakers from the 17th Legislative District will host a virtual town hall to discuss the 2026 legislative session and answer constituent questions. - Washington governor talks potential return of SuperSonics with NBA commissioner
Gov. Bob Ferguson spoke with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver about the possibility of bringing the Seattle SuperSonics back as the league weighs future expansion decisions. - Opinion: The income tax proposal has arrived
Ryan Frost of the Washington Policy Center argues that a proposed Washington income tax creates a new revenue stream rather than delivering tax reform or relief.
